


10 Years Apart

by aceiinspace



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Episode: s02e24 Moonvasion!, Other, Post-Episode: s02e24 Moonvasion!, Scrooge don and del have A Talk, aka They haven't adressed this in the show yet And I Want Them To, it's wholesome tho I couldn't bear having these three be angy at each other for long, this takes place right after the season 2 finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22698610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceiinspace/pseuds/aceiinspace
Summary: Della finds out about Donald and Scrooges fight 10 years ago
Relationships: Della Duck & Donald Duck, Della Duck & Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Della Duck & Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck
Comments: 13
Kudos: 170





	10 Years Apart

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: UWAAAAH THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE ON THIS ;0; I’m really sorry for not responding to a lot of comments, I forget to check my notifs and get overwhelmed easily BUT KNOW IVE READ EVERY SINGLE COMMENT AND I CARE YOU ALL!!! 
> 
> Heeeeyyyy huooooh I started on this fic wayyy back in september when the season finale originally aired, it's been a looooong ride fellas!
> 
> I've had this scenario in my mind since way before Della even returned - it's something I really want adressed in the show, but until then I gots to do the work myself
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy!!

The manor was quiet, for once.

All the commotion caused by Lunaris’ invasion had finally settled, and for the first time in 48 hours, Della felt she could finally breathe easy. She gave one last glance at her kids as Donald finished tucking them in, the triplets already drifting off to sleep in their beds and Webby on her mattress next to them, and waited for her brother to walk out before quietly closing the door with a soft smile on her face. 

The twins made their way down the halls - keeping their steps as light as possible so they wouldn’t wake any of the moonlanders camping in the various rooms of the mansion - arriving at the living room where their uncle was on the verge of sleep himself.

Scrooge didn’t get a chance to doze off, being stifled awake by two other ducks plopping down next to him, nearly sinking into each other. Donald and Della had been inseparable ever since they were reunited, glued to each other sides just like when they were little and Della had never felt happier. Finally, they were all together. 

“Della, you alright?” Donald's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she now realized she’d started crying. She rubbed at her eyes, a laugh escaping her. “Oh yeah, I’m more than alright, Don,” She answered, putting one arm across her brothers shoulders and reaching the other one to her uncle’s and mercilessly crushing them both in a hug. 

“Lass, please, you’re going to break our bones.” Scrooge laughed, happily returning the embrace despite his comment.

“Sorry uncle Scrooge, I’m just so happy to have my two favorite guys back!” Della gave their shoulders another squeeze before letting them go, leaning back in the couch with a content sigh.

“Are the kids asleep?” Scrooge asked, leaning back as well. 

“Yup,” Donald answered, popping the p. “Went out like a light, I think this is the fastest they’ve ever fallen asleep.”

“Well, from what I’ve seen you’ve always been able to get them to bed easily. Can’t say the same for myself.”

“You’ve tried tucking them in, like, twice. The second time you gave up and had to come get me.”

“Huey was running all over the place! I had no control over the lad!”

“That’s why you don’t give him sugar at night!”

Scrooge grumbled, waving his arm dismissively at Donald. Della just laughed at the two’s bantering. “Man, now that you’re both here you’ve got to tell me more stories about the kids,” She chirped and stood up so she could face them both. “I know I’ve already mentioned it to you, Scrooge, but you’ve truly done such a good job raising them.” 

…

“I’m happy they at least had the two of you while I was gone, not to mention Webby and Beakley!”

…

“I mean I’ve been trying my best to catch up this last month, but there’s still so much I don’t know! So many stories for you guys to tell me!”

No answer.

“So… Tell me what I’ve missed out on…?”

Still nothing. 

None of them were looking at her, Scrooge suddenly very interested in the handle of his cane and Donald’s stare was fixed on his own hands. Della’s brows furrowed as the glanced from one to the other. “Oh, come on, what’s with the silence?”

“You didn’t tell her?” Donald finally spoke, his tone surprisingly harsh.

“I thought I’d wait until you were back.” Scrooge mumbled, still fixated on his cane.

“You were afraid to tell her, is what you mean.”

“Now that’s just unfair!”

“Oh really? I don’t think leaving her in the dark is very fair!”

  
“I tried alright? I decided it’d be better if we were both here, I didn’t want a repeat of last time!”

“ _What the hell are you two talking about?!”_ Both their heads finally turned to look at Della, who stared at them with both confusion and frustration. “What _last time_ , what haven’t you told me?!” She demanded, placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently. Donald and Scrooge glanced at each other, both of them staying silent for a few more moments before the older duck sighed.

“Della, remember that time, not long after you’d gotten back, when you asked me about raising the boys?”

“Yeah?”

“And I told you that was all Donald?”

  
Della nodded slowly.

“I meant that.”  
  
“But you said-”

“You thought I meant he’d just done a bit more work than me, that I’d been focused on other things or that I was just being modest. I didn’t want to tell you otherwise, so I went along with it.”

Della’s brows furrowed, seemingly even more confused. “Uncle Scrooge what do you-” 

“There’s no use beating around the bush,” Donald cut her off, sitting up straighter. He glanced at Scrooge before fixing his gaze on Della, who quietly waited for her brother to explain. “Della, after you... Left… The two of us had a fight.”

“What?”

“We were upset, _devastated,_ and I was angry. Angry at you, at him, at everything. All he could think of was getting you back, all I could think of were the kids, so I took the eggs and I left. We didn’t talk for ten years.”

“You didn’t… Then, where did you go, Donald?” 

“To the docks. That’s why I have the houseboat. That’s why there’s no pictures of Scrooge in it.”

“You lived on _a boat?_ All alone?” Donald nodded. Della looked completely dumbfounded, she didn’t want to believe it. Her head turned to Scrooge. “And _you_ didn’t do _anything!?”_ She snapped at him, causing the old duck to flinch.

“It’s not something I’m proud of.” He admitted. Della huffed and shook her head slightly. “Unbelievable. Your _nephew_ and my _kids_ lived on a _boat!”_ She exclaimed, spreading her arms in exasperation. 

“I was bitter, I didn’t want anything to do with family anymore.” Scrooge explained, being oddly calm. Della put her hand to her face, rubbing circles into her forehead in an attempt to keep herself calm. “I guess it’s safe to assume you didn’t give any financial help either.” She grumbled and Scrooge’s silence was enough for her to know she was right. 

“To be fair, I’m not sure I would’ve accepted his help even if he had offered it.” Donald chimed in, putting his hands up defensively at the glare his sister sent him. “Like I said I was angry - and stubborn - I didn’t want his help, or anyone else’s for that matter.”

Della sighed and slumped back down between them, taking Donald’s hand in her own and squeezed it as she spoke.

“I know how you deal with grief Donald, you and I both know how you struggle with it, you- you should’ve-”

“-Reached out to someone, I know I know.”

“That goes for you too, uncle Scrooge.” She leaned onto her uncle, who hummed in reply. 

Della was still angry, but more than anything she felt _guilty._ She’d taken it for granted that Scrooge and Donald would be fine without her, she’d never thought her disappearance would affect them that badly, that it’d tear them apart. “What about the kids?” She dared. “What did you tell them?”

Another pause. Della squeezed her brothers hand again and he sighed. “I told them you were gone, simple as that.” Donald answered, not looking at her. Della felt her heart sink, she wasn’t sure how to react to that. “Was that… All?” She asked, her voice small. “Was that all they knew about me?”

Donald’s silence was the only answer she needed. She took a deep shaky breath, trying to steady herself while tears threatened to spill. Not only had her transmission never gone through, her boys had never even known a single thing about her while they grew up. And it was partly her own fault.

It was Donald’s turn to squeeze Della’s hand and Scrooge had taken a hold of her free hand. “I’m sorry, Della, I didn’t have the heart to tell them,” Donald explained, his voice was soft and it kept her grounded. “I thought it was better for them not to know, I wanted to shield them from the same pain I was feeling. I never told them about uncle Scrooge either.” Della shook her head slowly. “You don’t have to apologize, Don.” She said. Though it hurt, she really couldn’t blame him. 

Ever since she first got her eggs Donald had wanted only the best for them. Maybe he wasn’t perfect, but he’d done more than anyone else, and Della would forever be grateful. “So, how did you two end up becoming friends again?”

“I needed a babysitter and had no one else to go to,” Donald answered, a small smile appearing on his face. “One trip to Atlantis and one exploded houseboat later, and we’d moved into the mansion.” Both Scrooge and Donald himself chuckled, and Della couldn’t help but laugh a bit too.

“Aye, and the kids are smart - they discovered the mystery that was you and found all the clues, in the end I had to tell them.” Scrooge continued, something flashed across the old ducks eyes when he talked about it and Donald gave his uncle a knowing look. Della silently waited for Scrooge to continue. “They didn’t take it too well.” She cringed slightly at that.

Scrooge explained how Huey, Dewey and Louie had reacted and how it had ended in a fight. “The boys were hurt, they were lashing out in their newfound grief and I was too impatient, too bitter to listen and I lashed out too.” 

“When they came back the boys and me went back to the docks, Beakly, Webby and Launchpad too.” Donald chimed in. 

“But it didn’t last too long. Thanks to none other than Magica De Spell herself -” 

“Holy duck I’ve missed out on so much more than I initially thought.” Della interrupted, prompting a laugh from her twin.

“As I was saying,” Scrooge raised his voice slightly, getting back on track with his story. “We resolved the conflict and got back together, thanks to Magica to some extent.” The older duck finished. “After that things have been rather peaceful. It took way too long, but we finally let the kids learn as much as possible about their mother.”

Della smiled meekly, not really looking at any of them.

_“After that things have been rather peaceful.”_

_Until I came back…_

She shook her head again, pushing the thought to the back of her head. Her anger from earlier had most but faded, now replaced with guilt. 

“Man… I really made things difficult for you two, huh?” Della moved her hands, folding them in her own lap and rubbed her thumb against her knuckles.

“Hey, you don’t need to blame yourself, Dells.” Donald spoke up, gently placing a hand on his sisters shoulder.

“But… If I’d just-”

“We all wish we’d done things differently, lass.” Scrooge cut her off, his own feelings of guilt clear in his voice. “But we can’t do much about what’s already happened.” The smile on his face was gentle and knowing, Della could tell he was speaking from experience. “You’re right...” She mumbled with a sigh. She knew she’d never fully stop blaming herself for everything, but her uncle had a point.

The past is what it is, and all three of them wished it was different. Yet, if they kept dwelling on that nothing would get better - Donald and Scrooge were perfect examples of that.

A small smile appeared on Della’s face, they really were the most stubborn ducks around. She supposed it ran in the family. “I guess we all just - have to try our best not to fuck up in the future” 

“You think we’ll be able to avoid it? We’re the Duck family that’s nearly all we do” Donald commented, receiving a wack from Scrooge’s cane. 

“Oh shut it you, we’re not completely hopeless.” 

“A little bit hopeless.”

“Bah!” Scrooge waved him off and the twins just laughed, their uncle struggling to stay serious as well. 

Their laughter trailed off into a comfortable silence, only being broken by Scrooge yawning. “Well, I’m going to bed.” He declared as he rose from the couch, followed by a classic synchronized “Good night, uncle Scrooge!” from the twins as he headed towards the living room exit. The older turned to look at them both with a stern eye. “You two go to bed too, it’s getting late.” He told them, although he already knew what they’d answer. 

“In a minute!” He smiled - those two really hadn’t changed a bit since they were little. “Alright.” Scrooge muttered softly, turning around and walking off toward his bedroom.

Donald and Della didn’t say anything, just leaned onto each other - basking in the company they’d both missed for so long. Della could hear Donald’s breathing slow down into a steady rhythm as he dozed off ( _he still snores the exact same way he’s always done,_ she notes), and she felt her own eyes get heavy. 

Even though she was on the verge of sleep, she was still awake enough to think.

_She had her whole family back. She could finally get to know her kids - go on adventures with them and -_

She glanced to her side, struggling to keep her eyes open now, seeing her brothers shoulders rise and fall with his snoring.

_\- Donald was by her side again._

Della smiled. Despite everything, things really were pretty great right now. Her eyes fell closed and she began to drift off - falling asleep on the couch with her twin, just like they used to do years and years ago.

And, after 10 years away - after 10 years apart - she thought:

_I’m home._

**Author's Note:**

> Special shoutout to my pal Dana (@BaddgerCatz on DA) for proof reading this and helping me with the ending!! This fic would be wayyyy jankier without your help <3
> 
> I hope y'all liked it! It's my first time writing for DT and I had a lot of fun with it! Hopefully I'll get around to writing more fics (and don't spend nearly half a year finishing them oops)


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